


Make the Season Bright

by kennagirl



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas, Developing Friendships, Drinking Games, F/M, Hogwarts Eighth Year, POV Multiple, Room of Requirement Shenanigans
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-19
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-16 23:03:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13064016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kennagirl/pseuds/kennagirl
Summary: In the winter of 1998, nine people stayed in the castle over winter holidays. Four Gryffindors, four Slytherins, and one very tired headmistress.This could only end in bloodshed or bonding.





	Make the Season Bright

**Author's Note:**

  * For [gataylor92](https://archiveofourown.org/users/gataylor92/gifts).



> This started when Grace showed me [this post](http://hpconversations.tumblr.com/post/158281685022/drunk-muggle-games). It spiraled out of control from there.

Dinner was even louder than normal. That was common on the day before winter holidays. The last of the exams and essays had been completed, and students were relieved to enjoy relaxed time with their friends before not seeing them for two whole weeks. Minerva could almost remember the days when two weeks without her friends was interminable, let alone the summer break. Now, other than the colleagues she saw nearly every day, she was lucky to see her friends once a year, yet she was content with that. Summer was the season for visits, and letters filled the time in between.

However, her students were too young to be content with a life without regular contact with their loved ones, friends and family alike. That’s why most of them were going home for the winter holidays. Especially considering the previous school year, many of them felt the need to confirm their families’ safety in person.

Only six students were remaining behind. Draco Malfoy had come to her in October to make sure the castle was going to be available to students over the break. When she asked why he was so interested, as a headcount was not usually established until late November, he turned his gaze to the floor and said, “He was living in my house.” Rather than comment, she simply confirmed the castle being open and made sure he was on the list to stay. Miss Parkinson was probably staying to keep him company. The other two Slytherin guests had reasons she could only guess at, though Mr. Zabini may have been avoiding his mother’s latest husband if the gossip pages were in any way true.

From her own house, only two current students were staying behind. Hermione had confessed during one stressful night of tea and biscuits that she had spent so much time helping repair Hogwarts, she hadn’t had time to fetch her parents from Australia before the school year started. She also didn’t want to intrude on the Weasley family Christmas as it was their first without Fred, which she felt should be a private affair. Despite cajoling from many of the Weasleys, including Molly, Hermione chose to remain at the castle, prompting Ginny to stick around for her friend as well.

This brought her to the two non-students arriving via Hogwarts Express tomorrow to stay for the duration of holidays. Hermione, Ron, and Harry had been attached at the hip since their first year, and it could only have gotten stronger during their life on the run. Still, Hermione chose to return for her final year of school while the boys started Auror training, which meant that the past three months was the longest they had gone without practically living in each others’ pockets.

Minerva broke from her reverie at the sound of a crash echoing through the hall. A small duel had broken out between two third years. Nothing that could cause major injury, just a few Tickling Charms and a Knockback Jinx. The victim of that spell had caused the noise as she took the bench down with her. Luckily, they were Hufflepuffs, and Pomona was already striding towards them. Minerva just took a deep drink of pumpkin juice and closed her eyes.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow it would be quiet.


End file.
